Kitten's Sunrise
by Alexia Goddess
Summary: (SEQUEL to Kitten's Angel) A new anti-peace organization, one kidnapped and brainwashed Gundam Pilot, a daughter of a sorceress who can kick butt, and a guardian adolescent dragon...throw em all together and you've got one hell of an adventure.*UPDATE*
1. Prologue - Recap

*~Kitten's Sunrise~*  
  
  
sequel to 'Kitten's Angel'  
  
  
by  
  
Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
  
  
AN: It's Recap time! This prologue will (semi) briefly retell the  
occurences in the last two books of the Kitten Saga. Hopefully this  
book will have a more Gundam Wing flavor, as I am going to  
drastically reduce the involvement of magic. Enjoy! -Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
  
Prologue:  
Recap  
  
  
  
Four years after the Mariemaeia incident, the Gundam Pilots received a  
firm request from the former Princess Relena Peacecraft- now Vice  
Foreign Minister Dorlain- to temporarily take up residence together in  
a small town a few hours away from the Sanq Kingdom.  
  
Meanwhile, in another dimension, a sinister war had been raging for  
years on the planet Xylion. The cause of the war was the uprising of  
nobles lead by one Duke Jzaar. The purpose of this uprising was to  
awaken a legendary entity of destruction and evil powers; the Dragon  
God Magamijenya. Circumstances demanded that in order for this to  
happen, the Dragon Goddess Shinimejenya bust be present, unharmed.  
  
Duke Jzaar manages to obtain the Destruction Stone, which contains the  
magically shrunken Shinimejenya. In the middle of the 'ceremony' to  
awaken Magamijenya, the king sends a massive army against Duke Jzaar,  
among them are Prince Zion, heir to the throne of Xylion, his cousin,  
Princess Zephra, the beloved of Zephra's younger sister, Duke Axis,  
as well as Duke Axis's brother, Baron Kiros.  
  
Duke Jzaar summoned a massive army of Underworld creatures; Corpsies,  
Vamps, Valdrakes, and other things that were more than a match for a  
mere human army.  
  
Back at the palace, the younger sister of Princess Zephra, cousin to  
Prince Zion, and the young beloved of Duke Axis, decides to join the  
fight. Her name is Kiticatya.  
  
Kiticatya arrives just in time to see Duke Jzaar enter the next phase  
of the ceremony. She, an expert swordswoman, battles her way towards  
the sorceror. By way of a force not even Kiticatya could identify, she  
manages to get ahold of the Destruction Stone, and get away, destroying  
any chance of completeing the ceremony, and thus ending the battle.  
  
The remains of the King's army, the prince, Axis, Kiros, princess  
Zephra, and Countess Kiticatya are now back at the palace. But Duke  
Jzaar reeps his revenge and launches a massive attack on the palace.  
Almost everyone is killed. Duke Axis is injured when taking an arrow  
for Kiticatya. The survivors of the palace attack make it to an  
abandoned fort in a forest a decent ways away.  
  
Kiticatya, knowing the reason Jzaar had attacked was for both revenge  
and to try and get back the Destruction Stone, decides to take matters  
into her own hands.  
  
She runs away, and the only things she takes with her are the  
Destruction Stone and a bracelet that had been a gift from Zion, which  
bore her nickname; kitten.  
  
Kiticatya makes her way to a place near a tree where she and Axis  
had carved their names, and called forth Shinimejenya from the  
Destruction Stone, and Shinimejenya became a Ridder within Kiticatya,  
like a demon would possess a human, only this demon remained dorment  
unless Kiticatya called upon her.  
  
Axis, Zion, Zephra, and Kiros arrive too late; Shinimejenya and  
Kiticatya are one.  
  
When they return to the fort, Kiticatya's friends believe this to be  
the last of her antics, but she's not done yet. Again in the dead of  
night she slips away and casts two spells; one to lock away all her  
memories, of who she was, her friends, her name, her world, her life.  
The second spell was to open a portal to an alternate dimension.  
  
Kiticatya awakens in a strange world, having not a single memory to  
call her own. She wonders till she stumbles into a privet garden. This  
is where the Gundam Pilots enter the story.  
  
Wufei Chang yells at the strange, bewildered eyed girl for tresspassing.  
She apologized, and walked away, curling up under a gargoyle to sleep  
for the night, but not after Duo Maxwell had come out and flirted with  
her, then dragged Wufei in to dinner.  
  
The next few days finds the now nameless girl naming herself, getting  
her name from her bracelet and going by 'Kitten Smith.' She attempts  
to get herself a job, but by nightfall she is ill from lack of food  
and the aftermath of being transported through dimensions, which is  
rather taxing.  
  
Meanwhile, Zion, Axis, Zephra, and Kiros had figured out what happened,  
and followed their Lady Goddess ('Goddess,' since she is know the Host  
to a Goddess) into the Gundam Wing dimension, where they became Ridders  
inside the Gundam Pilots, as Shinimejenya was inside Kiticatya. The  
difference was that they could take over their hosts' body and travel  
great distances with their magic to meet, and then go back just as  
quick, and their hosts never new a thing.  
  
Now, within their Hosts, Zion and Axis find Kiticatya unconscious,  
and Zion, in Duo Maxwell, let's his Host's conscious surface. Duo finds  
himself at the entrance to an alley without any recollection of walking  
there. He sees Kiticatya, and takes her home, seeing she is ill.  
  
This action results in the Gundam Pilots taking Kiticatya -now going  
by Kitten as she still has no idea who she is- under their wing. Just  
when the relationships between the Gundam Pilots and Kitten were  
growing, they receive a letter from Vice Foreign Minister Dorlain,  
inviting them to the Sanq Palace to explain her reasion for requesting  
their taking up residence on Earth. They take Kitten with them, where  
she meets Relena and Dorothy Catalonia, and the three release their  
playful sides and play pranks on the Gundam Boys.  
  
Meanwhile Duke Jzaar has traced Kitten and co to the Gundam Dimension,  
and has set up base on Mars. Kitten is just beginning to build a happy  
life for herself, despite her lack of memories, with the spirits of her  
love, cousin, siser, and friend watching over her from within the bodies   
of those she considered elder brothers (The Gundam Pilots). But before  
this is completely established, however, Duke Jzaar begins sending his  
minions after her in an attempt to capture her and bring her to his base   
to perform the ceremony to revive Megamijenya.  
  
This causes a chain reaction resulting in Kitten getting back her  
memories. This in turn results in Zephra, Kiros, Axis, and Zion exiting  
their respective Hosts and making themselves known. After explaining  
all that had been happening in their world to the Gundam Pilots and  
Vice Foriegn Minister Dorlain, they embark on a journey to challenge  
and -hopefully- defeat Duke Jzaar.  
  
Kitten is forbidden to come along, since it is her that Jzaar is after.  
In typical Kitten fashion, she follows anyway, without their knowledge.  
  
On their way in, Kiros and Zephra are killed, and Axis and Zion are  
captured. The Gundam Pilots make it to the main audience chamber where  
Duke Jzaar is preparing a great Mirror Portal for the ceremony. Just  
as Duke Jzaar is about to have them seized, Kitten makes her presence  
known.  
  
A battle ensues, through which Kitten discovers she has powers beyoned  
what she had ever imagined, which were fueled by Shinimejenya within  
her.  
  
Jzaar is killed, but now time is running out, and Kitten must destroy  
the Mirror Portal. The Gumdam Pilots assist her, though it is believed  
for many years after their their assisstence was merely morale support.  
  
Kitten and the Gundam Pilots together destroy the Portal, escape the  
collapsing base, and meet up with Axis and Zion, whom had escaped.  
  
They discover that Xylion has erected a democracy, and that the Crown  
Prince is no longer need. Discovering that her family is also dead,  
Kitten also has no reason to return to the alternate dimension she was  
born in. She attends Maxwell University (named after Duo Maxwell) college on L2 colony, and upon graduatio, she and Axis are married.  
Heero Yuy and Relena Peacecraft had been married one year previous, and  
Relena was expecting a child at the time of Axis and Kitten's marriage.  
  
The next three years were spent in happiness, the forme Xylionians  
getting accustomed to their new home at the Sanq Palace. Their peace  
is disrupted, however, by the appearence -apparently out of thin air-  
of a Gundam that resembles the Epion. It is piloted by a girl no more  
than seventeen, who claims her name to be Angel, and also claims to be  
the future daughter of Axis and Kitten.  
  
Angel explains that seven years from the present date, an evil species  
known as the Darklyr's would use Angel, whom had been possessed by one  
of the Darklyr's at birth, as a gateway from their dimension into  
theirs.  
  
By the time Angel had reached fifteen, the colonies were destroyed,  
Earth was one huge spherical graveyard, and the human race was only a  
few years away from becoming extinct.  
  
Angel tells Kitten and the Gundam Pilots that they believed that the  
leader of the Darklyr forces was possessing Zephra- who was alive after  
all. She says that this was the reason she had come back in time, to  
find Zephra and hopefully keep her from being possessed, which would  
give their forces in the future a massive boost if the Darklyer leader  
was forced to take a different host, one without magical abilities.  
  
It is revealed that when the Gundam Pilots had assisted Kitten in  
destroying the Mirror Portal so long ago, that they hadn't just merely  
given morale support; they each possessed a bit of magic themselves;  
that magic, and Kitten's tapping into it, was what had helped Kitten  
destroy the Portal.  
  
Kitten, Axis, the Gundam Pilot, and even Relena -now with a four year  
old son named Sirus- agree to help find Zephra, wherever she is, and  
keep her from ever being possessed.  
  
However, during the ritual performed by Kitten, Zion, Axis, and the  
Gundam Pilots, Angel reveals her true intentions by making an attempt  
on Kitten, her future mother's, life.  
  
Kitten is saved, however, by another visitor from the future; Relena's  
future son, Sirus, and Angel's beloved. It is revealed that Kitten  
was pregnant with, asumidly, the future Angel. Angel confesses that she  
had come back in time to kill her past self, to prevent the Darklyr's  
from ever crossing over.  
  
However, it turns out that Zephra really was alive, although Angel  
hadn't known it. Zephra, who had latched onto the magic projected by  
the ritual to bring herself to Earth, explains that while they had all  
thought her dead, she had been prisoner of a Darklyr. She explains that  
had Angel not come back in time and caused Kitten and co to perform  
the ritual that allowed Zephra to come back to Earth, thus escaping her  
Darklyr captor, it was ZEPHRA who would have been used as the gateway  
between worlds, not Angel.  
  
Sirus dies from the wound he had acquired when defending Kitten, and  
Angel, since the future she had known would no longer exist and the  
Darklyrs would never come, decided to stay with Kitten at the Sanq  
Palace. This book ends with Kitten giving birth to who everyone thought  
would be a younger version of Angel. But apparently, cirumstances of  
the pregnancy had changed the fetus, and thus the baby herself.  
  
Kitten is now the proud mother of Faerie Angelinya Viskae, and Shimijenya, whom had still shared a Ridder-Host link with her former  
Host and friend, now had a child of her own; Sankan, a golden coloured  
dragon.  
  
The story ends with everyone hoping for peace, so that Faery could  
grow up safe, happy, and oblivious to who Angel really was.  
  
  
  
Now, I, Alexia Goddess, introduce to you the next chapter in the Kitten Saga...  
  
  
Kitten's Sunrise  
  
Let the Saga Continue..... 


	2. Chapter One

Kitten's Sunrise

__

Sequel to 'Kitten's Angel'

_By Alexia Goddess_

**__**

Chapter One

Reunions

A man dressed in desert camouflage, a camouflage hat pulled low over emerald green eyes and a thick strand of brown hair that covered one eye was crouched in the underbrush, the hot outback sun beating down on him. He ignored both the heat of the sun and the snake the slithered over his boot.

"Damn, Barton, how can you stand it out here?" Another man crouching next to the first man hissed. Trowa narrowed his eyes at his 'partner' out of the corner of his eye.

"Quiet," Trowa told him, his voice low and without scorn or humor. His partner grumbled, but remained quiet, sweat dripping down his face in mini rivers.

They'd been there for hours, Trowa Barton and his mission partner Rocky Calancha, hidden in the underbrush of the Australian outback, keeping sharp eyes on the small Ranger outpost. It was rumored that it was possible it could be the entrance to the beginnings of a rebel underground base. Trowa and Rocky had been stationed there to observe the outpost, keep track of who went in and who went out and when.

So far, the only other living creatures besides them that had gone anywhere near the outpost was a young kangaroo.

"This is pointless, Barton," Rocky grumbled. "We've been here since this morning, and we've yet to see another soul!"

Trowa contemplated this, then glanced down at his watch; the mission assignment had said only stay there till about noon, and it was two o'clock already.

"Move out," Trowa commanded silently. Relief caressed Rocky's face, and he wiped a sheet of sweat off his forehead before resettling his cap down over his forehead, and following Trowa through the underbrush to the hidden jeep not far away. With Trowa's back to him leading the way, Rocky got a look on his face that screamed dishonorable intentions. Out of his boot he pulled out what, at first glance, appeared to be a small pistol. Upon closer inspection, one would see a dart in the barrel of the gun instead of a bullet…

Rocky aimed, fired, and Trowa went down, unconscious. Rocky gave a signal-whistle, and a dozen armed soldiers in desert camouflage came running out of the outpost. Trowa, as several arms lifted him, groaned. Rocky slammed the but of a rifle that was handed to him into Trowa's face.

"Always wanted to do that to a Gundam Pilot," Rocky muttered. "Let's get him inside, boys!"

*___~____~____~____~____~___*

The young warrior watched for, waited for his prey from up above, hidden in the deep green foliage that was his favorite oak tree. A gravely path ran directly below the branch he was on, a few feet away from the base of the trunk.

He glanced up at the tree on the other side of the path and found and held the gaze of another pair of mischievous eyes. The only thing that differed was colour; his were the deepest of prussian blues, but the ones he stared into, the ones above a pair of smirking pretty little pink lips, was brightest of azure blues, set in a face that was as cute and pert as a little fairy princess.

He held up a single finger to his lips, motioning for silence. Those azure eyes in the opposite tree glittered, but the tiny giggles he'd been hearing ceased.

A moment later, a car was heard, then the car being parked, the engine turned off...doors opened...doors slammed...a trunk was opened...sounds of a slight struggle...the trunk slammed shut... Then there were footsteps, heavy footsteps, like someone -two someones- were carrying something heavy. Voices, but too far away to be distinguished...

Ah, now they were close enough. A man and a woman, clearly related, dressed in Preventor uniforms.

"It'll be so good to see Kit and Fae again!" The woman sighed, adjusting her grip on her suitcase. The man smiled.

"Axis has been spoiling that girl since the day she was born," He laughed. The woman grinned.

"Hey," She defended Axis. "You haven't been doing much better, *Prince* Zion! Look how many thing's you've brought her!"

"Speak for yourself, Zeph!" The man laughed. "I know for a fact half that suitcase is filled with nothing but gifts for Fae and Sirus."

"They're good kids," Zephra shrugged, smiling. "Even if Sirus is *supposedly* too old to act like one."

"How old are they, now, anyway?" Zion asked. Zephra laughed.

"You've forgotten you're own niece's and her best friend's age?" She rolled her eyes. "You oaf! Fae's almost fourteen, and Sirus is eighteen."

The predator in the treetops grinned ferally, glancing up at those azure eyes in the other tree. 'Good kids,' were they?

Heh heh heh...

He held up three fingers...dropped one...dropped the second...

The third finger fell.

As did the buckets of water.

Screeches and curses and then laughter rang out as the two Preventor officers became drenched from head to foot. Sirus scrambled down from his perch in the tree. He knew they'd figure out where the water had come from momentarily, and despite being well into their thirties, Preventor Zephra and Preventor Zion DID know how to climb trees!

"Quick, hurry!" Came the delighted squeal of a thirteen-year-old, platinum blonde haired, bright azure-eyed girl as she grabbed Sirus's hand just as he climbed down. Together, Sirus and the former occupant of the tree that had been across from his darted down the lane. Laughter, shouts, and the sounds of a chase filled the Angel Garden of the Sanq Palace that Saturday afternoon, as Zion and Zephra picked themselves up and chased after the two mischievous teens.

"Mama, hide me!" The blonde girl squealed as she and Sirus burst into the East Sunroom. She darted behind the wicker lawn chair her mother, a dark blonde haired, sea green eyed woman in her early thirties blinked in surprise, then burst out laughing as her daughter reached up and smacked her on the shoulder.

"Hush, mama, or they'll find us!" The girl hissed as Sirus ducked behind his own mother's chair; it did him little good, for all he was a lanky eighteen year old, the petite wicker chair did almost nothing to hide him.

"All right, Fae, what did you do this time?" The sea green eyed woman asked.

"Nothing!" Both Fae and Sirus chimed together.

"Alright, WHERE are the brats?" Came a mock outraged cry. Preventor Zephra, Zion right behind her, burst in, scowling. But were one to look past the scowl, one would see a delighted twinkle in her dark green eyes...

"Why, what do you mean, sister dear?" The dark blonde haired woman asked innocently. A giggle came from behind her chair.

"You know PERFECTLY well what I mean, Kit!" Zephra grumbled, accepting a towel from an amused staff member. Zion took one as well, eyes dancing.

"Too bad SIRUS and FAERY aren't around," Zion said, his voice slightly louder than need be. "Aunt Zephra and I got some GREAT stuff in AMERICA."

"America????" Came an overjoyed voice. In a flash Fae was jumping around, demanding stories and her gifts. Sirus stood up from his 'hiding' spot, hands in his pockets, smiling down at his mother, Relena. His face was alight with laughter and his eyes sparkling; he never failed to fall in love with how much fun Fae could be.

"Hey, Z-man, you're back!" Came the voice of a man in his late thirties.

"How are you, Duo?" Zion grinned as he and Duo clasped hands. His eyes widened in surprise, everyone else laughing, when Duo pulled him into a tight bear hug.

"I'm doing great!" Duo said, releasing the blue faced former Xylionian prince. Zephra only laughed. Duo spotted her and wiggled his ears, holding out his arms.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's the Z-babe!" He said, and Zephra hugged him, laughing.

"Good to see you, too, Maxwell," She said.

"Don't I get one?" The dark blonde haired woman, Kitten, Fae's mother, said with a mock, rather childish pout as she stood and came over. Duo grinned and engulfed the woman in a gentle bear hug.

"When did you get in?" Kitten asked Duo, her 'big brother.'

"Just a little while ago," He said. "Just in time to view your daughter and her friend's latest prank." He laughed and reached down to give both Sirus and Fae a high five. Kitten rolled her eyes, but grinned nonetheless. "But man, that was a long drive!" The former Shinigami yawned. "I'm starved! When's lunch?"

"Still thinking with your stomach, eh, Duo?" Came another voice.

"Q-man!" Duo whirled and grabbed the fair skinned, light haired, lean Arabian man in yet another bear hug. Quatre laughed, gasping for air slightly when Duo, still with his long brown braid, put him down.

"Uncle Quatre!" The teenage Fae gave Quatre a tight, enthusiastic hug, which Quatre returned.

"Long time no see, Winner," Zephra grinned, shaking Quatre's hand and giving him a light hug.

"I know," Quatre smiled that gentle smile, and then spotted Kitten. Kitten held out her arms, and Quatre moved to embrace her warmly.

"You're looking splendid, Kit," Quatre told her, and Kitten, grinning, returned the sentiment.

"It's too bad the other G-Boys couldn't make it," Fae said, clasping an Indian bead necklace that Uncle Zion had given her around her neck. Sirus, all of eighteen, came up behind her to help her put it on.

"Yeah, total bummer that Angel got dragged to that boring 'briefing' at the last minute," Duo grumbled. "But she did say she should be able to make it for the actual birthday date." He added, ruffling Fae's bright blonde hair.

"Wufei and Heero are on one of those deep space missions out past Jupiter," Quatre explained. "And Trowa got drafted to Australia to investigate what looks like might be a premature attempt to start a anti-peace organization." He winked at Fae. "But they did send presents for our birthday girl!"

"You remembered!" Fae squealed. "Did you bring them? Can I have them? Pleeeeeeeeease???"

"Down, girl," Kitten laughed, hugging her daughter from behind. Fae, embarrassed by her mother's public show of affection, flushed and pushed away with a, "Mama!!!"

"You're birthday isn't for another week, squirt," Sirus told her, grinning. Fae only stuck out her tongue in a mock pout. "Well, can we at least go have lunch so we can eat those brownies Maria made? Pleeeease???"

"Brownies?" Duo attention was perked immediately. Everyone laughed.

"Well I think it's safe to say we're _all_ getting rather hungry." Relena said, smiling as she stood and set down the book she'd been reading before Fae and Sirus had burst in.

"Well then, c'mon!" Duo grabbed Kit's hand, and Fae grabbed one of Zion's and one of Zephra's, the two hungry pranksters dragging everyone towards the door.

*___~____~____~____~____~___*

The figure sitting in the tall-backed chair in front of a computer console was clearly bored, judging from his/her posture. The figure leaned forward in the chair slightly, and it was revealed that it was a breathtakingly beautiful woman. She sighed, tapping her blood red, perfectly manicured nails against the desk as she watched the data from their newest captive scrolling down the screen.

Boring, boring, boring…more boring, boring…hmm…amnesia…interesting…nay, boring boring…

The woman sighed again, like an impatient teenager would sigh when waiting for a late date. Suddenly, just as she was about to quit, something interesting caught her eye…she paused the scrolling of the data and began reading in more detail. Her perfectly arched eyebrows rose, her deep black eyes twinkling with delight.

__

"Be careful," She warned herself. _"This man likes to read…this could just be from one of the stories he's read…no, it includes his fellow pilots…perhaps a story of his own? But is it based on true events, or is it fictional? If these are actually memories and not imaginings, then…"_ The woman's breath caught in her throat at the possibilities.

Grinning like a schoolgirl, she reached for the comm. button on her desk.

*___~____~____~____~____~___*

**One Week Later**

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Faery… Happy birthday to you!"

"And many mooooore…" Duo ended the chorus with a deep alto verse of his own. Everyone laughed, and cheered, Fae grinning like crazy at her place at the head of the long, polished mahogany table.

"Mine first, mine first!" Fae's best friend, Cassie. Fae happily accepted the gift, tore of the ribbon, shredded the pretty metallic silver wrapping paper, and tossed aside the top lid of the cardboard box. Fae let loose a girlish squeal of delight and lifted the beautiful black, metallic, transparent sparkly blouse.

"That better come with an undershirt," Axis said in a voice that was humorous, but with an underlying tone of a father's dead seriousness. Fae laughed, and reached into the box and pulled out a black, sleek polyester spaghetti strap top.

"They're interchangeable," Cassie told her, showing everyone the three other transparent, metallic jacket/blouses; navy blue, hunter green, and ruby red. Fae hugged her friend, handed the box and clothing to Quatre who set it on another table.

Next came the one from Heero, who was absent. She tore off the wrapping paper, and a note was revealed under it, taped to the box. Fae read it quickly, then handed it to her father. Axis, reading the note, grumbled something best left unrepeated, and Kitten laughed out loud. Fae, curious, opened the box and pulled out a crystal case, containing an antique silver pistol.

"Only Hee-man would give a fourteen year old a gun for her birthday," Duo laughed.

"I'll have to have a word with him when he gets back," Axis grumbled. Fae smacked her father playfully on the arm.

"Be nice, daddy. It probably doesn't even work." She said, passing it to Quatre who added to the clothes from Cassie. Quatre turned back around with his own gift, and Fae hugged the contents with enthusiasm; a breathtakingly beautiful porcelain fairy doll, and a small black box containing a necklace with a golden pendant of a fairy sitting on a star. She put it on, and hugged Quatre warmly.

From Duo there was a gift certificates to the mall's arcade, the ice cream bar, the trendiest French boutique in all of Sanq, and –one of the things she'd wanted most- tickets to the carnival that weekend!

From Trowa there was an entire book series about a girl with telepathic powers, along with a stationary kit and an expensive red fountain pen, a custom made golden dragon on the end of it.

Sirus gave her a manicure/nail polish kit, with every color imaginable, and a gift certificate for a free professional manicure.

From Relena –whom was absent due to a meeting on L3 colony- Fae received the loveliest set of art pencils, clay eraser, rulers for straight lines, a practice pad, and the finest sketching paper money could buy, along with a beaded, mini tot bag to put it all in.

From Wufei –this was one of Fae's favorite gifts- came a set of Chinese throwing stars. The edges of each star were sharper than the sharpest sword, and both sides of the stars were decorated with inlaid gold patterns. There were eight stars in all, plus twin daggers that matched the throwing stars. Fae's thrill heightened when she discovered a note from Wufei promising to show her how to use them- can't have a 'helpless onna' carrying weapon she didn't know how to use!

Finally came the gifts from Aunt Zephra and Uncle Zion; from Zephra a complete, brand new set of everything a dancer could want; three leotards, each a different color, all with matching hair ties, gauzy, feather light wrap around dance skirts, tights, and dance shoes. And not just ballet shoes; three different pairs -one pair to match each leotard- of ballet shoes, jazz shoes, tap shoes, toe shoes, and stage shoes. It all came inside a black pleather dance bag with gold lining, with a matching water bottle and insulated bag to carry snacks.

Uncle Zion gave her a complete, and obviously extremely expensive jewelry set; rubies set in gold. Earrings, necklace, choker, bracelet, ring, and anklet.

Last, but not least, came the gifts from Fae's parents; Kitten handed her daughter a four foot long, half a foot wide case wrapped in dark gold tissue paper. Fae noticed a twinkle in the eyes of everyone but Cassie; they all knew something about this particular gift. Fae, unlike with her other gifts, carefully parted the tape from the tissue paper, and slid the long case out of its golden encasing. The case was made of a deep burgundy, well-worked leather, inlaid with intricate designs of pure gold. Fae ran her fingers delicately over the filigrees, and only upon Cassie's hushed hurries did she lift the cover, slowly. The hinges, well oiled, didn't give the tiniest squeak. But Fae, however, squealed and gave a cry loud enough to wake the dead. She snatched up the contents of the case and hugged it to her chest, tearfully thanking Kitten and Axis.

Only after she had calmed down after the initial shock of receiving the most beautiful weapon on the face of the Earth –or at least, after she heard Duo and Cassie's laughter- did she take the time to fully examine the blade. A most magnificent weapon, it was. Sheathed in a leather scabbard the same deep burgundy brown as the case, with the same golden etchings in the designs of flower and stars. At the top of the scabbard, under the hilt, a fairy etched in gold in mid flight leaned over to smell a flower.

Fae unclasped the harnessing that kept the sword in its scabbard and pulled it out. The blade was of the most radiant shimmering silver, streaked with barely detectable wavering streaks of metallic blue, betraying that the metal was the finest of steel. The hilt was made to look like two strands of gold weaving and twisting around each other. The hilt guards were decorated with flowers and stars and filigrees. On each side of the hilt, sitting on the hilt guards, were two twin fairies, reaching around the hilt to clasp hands.

"Now you have one, Angel has one…and I have one!" Fae whispered…then kissed the hilt and sheathed it, only to hug it once more.

"There's one more thing to go with that," Said a voice. Fae whirled in her seat.

"Angel!" She cried, running to her 'cousin' with a delighted smile, fairy sword still in hand. Angel and Fae embraced warmly. Angel pulled away and held her 'cousin' at arms length, smiling at her.

"Look at you," She said. "Only two months since I last saw you when I left to accept my promotion at the Preventor's headquarters, and you've not only sprung up like a weed, but doubled in beauty, as well." She looked up and winked at Axis. "I'll bet Axis has had to beat the boys away with a stick."

"Not without assistance from us, he hasn't!" Duo laughed. Fae only grinned, her ears slightly red from the praise.

"How was the trip?" Fae asked Angel. Angel smiled.

"It was…well, I've had better," She said. Everyone laughed at that; Angel's proneness to space sickness was a 'family' joke. It was made even more funny by the fact that Fae had a stomach of steel…and to think they were intended to be the same person…

Kitten watched her daughter(s) with a slight smile on her face. So long…it had been so long since Angel had first come into their lives, arriving in a Gundam almost identical to Epion, and declaring herself not only from the future, but to be Kitten's future daughter…

Kitten's smile widened as Axis slipped an arm around his wife's waist and kissed her temple. She then laughed outright at the expression on Fae's face when Angel presented her with a black velvet box that she opened to reveal a bracelet bearing the word 'Faerie.' Kitten remembered the call she had gotten from Angel, asking her permission to get her 'cousin' that special gift. Angel'd had to have it custom made, after months of searching for a bracelet or necklace with the word 'faerie,' or at least 'fairy,' with no luck.

"Mama, lookit!" Fae said, her eyes lit up with delight, pulling Angel behind her as she held up her wrist for Kitten to see. Kitten grinned, met Angel's eyes, and Angel winked. Simultaneously, Kitten and Angel held out their right arms and pulled up their long sleeves to reveal their own bracelets. Fae's jaw dropped, blinked…then leaped into the air with an enthusiastic, cheerleader-style midair split and a loud 'wahoo!!!!!'

"Good to see you again, Angel," Kitten said, embracing the woman that was –biologically- her daughter, but whom was, on an emotional level, no more than a very close niece.

"I wish I could say the same," Angel whispered quietly. Her happy demeanor and casual outlook flickered for a moment, revealing pain and fear for only a slight second. Kitten's own eyes flashed with worry. She glanced at Axis, who was in the process of showing Fae a few moves with her new sword, moves that were a bit more advanced than the ones in her fencing class.

Axis's eyes were caught by Kitten's, and his own eyes mirrored hers. She jerked her head towards Angel, then discreetly pointed to the hallway. Axis nodded, Fae never noticed a thing, and Angel and Kitten quietly left the dining room.

Once outside, Angel's mask dropped completely. Had she not lived almost her entire life as a soldier, Kitten knew the thirty-year-old woman would have been in near hysterics.

"I'll be blunt," Angel said, swallowing thickly. "The reason I wasn't able to get here till now was…" She swallowed again. "Trowa and his partner Rocky have disappeared."

*___~____~____~____~____~___*

"I'll be right back," Fae told everyone. "I'm just gonna go stash my stuff in my room so we have more space for the games kay?" Various acknowledgments echoed her statement, and Fae gathered up all her stuff in one huge armful and headed out of the dining room, exiting through a different exit than Angel and Kitten. She turned the corner, and froze suddenly as she heard her Uncle Trowa's name.

Fae paused, getting as close to the edge of the corner as she dared, realizing that Angel and her mother were right around it. Fae evened her breathing and set her body in 'silent' mode, feeling no qualms whatsoever over evesdropping.

"What do you mean, he's missing?" Fae's mother whispered hoarsely.

"Just what I said," Angel sighed. "You remember how Uncle Quatre told you he'd been drafted to Australia? To observe what the Preventors think might be the base of a potential rebel group? Well, he and his temporary partner, Rocky Calancha, went to their post, to do their observing…and they just never came back."

Fae's breath caught in her throat, her azure eyes as wide as dinnerplates. She was too shocked to even register a strand of her chin length, rod straight bright blonde hair tickle her nose. Fae didn't hear any more of the conversation, and, not caring if they heard her, Fae whirled and dashed down the hallway and up the stairs to her room, where she slammed the door shut with her foot and dumped everything on her window seat. She threw herself onto her bed, grabbed her pillow, buried her face in it, and screamed.

It was a full five minutes before the shock wore off, followed by an unstoppable onslaught of tears and sobbing. So enveloped in emotional agony was she, that she didn't notice the pair of ruby red eyes surrounded by golden 'skin' watching her through the

skylight window above her bed…

To Be Continued…

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! I did it! Welcome to the first chapter of 'Kitten's Sunrise.' Was it good? Was it long enough? This was basically just a chapter to set up the story. The next chapter will be much more…involved, I guess is the word. Anyhoo, ja ne!

Smile More, Dream Always,

Alexia Goddess

*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY* 


	3. Chapter Two

Kitten's Sunrise

__

Sequel to 'Kitten's Angel'

_By Alexia Goddess_

**__**

Chapter Two

Circus

Fae, for some reason, never told her mother or cousin Angel what she had overheard on her fourteenth birthday, three weeks previous. However, it was no longer a secret that she knew that her favorite 'uncle' was missing; it was all over the news. The search for Trowa Barton, now publicly known as the former Heavyarms pilot, had been long and harsh, but nothing had been found. The search at the old ranger outpost in Australia had been searched hundreds of times by officials, amateurs, friends, and countless more times by the Gundam Pilots themselves.

Despite being just as worried as everyone else, Fae had forced herself to put on a happy, fun outlook to try and keep everyone else's spirits up. It worked, but only slightly. It was times like when shadows of smiles were visible for only fleeting seconds that Fae was extra grateful for her own personal retreat in life that came in the form of dancing. 

Fae stood at the barr, clad in a black leotard, black tights, and the red, sparkling, transparent jacket Cassie had got her tied up in a knot just under her breasts to keep it from getting in the way. Also, it looked quite stylish.

Fae had always refused to put her hair up while dancing; to her the act of pulling it back tightly went against everything dancing was supposed to be; free, smooth, graceful, flowing. But for all her stubbornness on the matter, her dance instructor was just as stubborn, and they'd been forced to make a compromise; Fae could keep her hair down if she cut it. It had been a sacrifice, having her waist long, flawless platinum locks snipped away, but a sacrifice she had been well willing to make.

Now, her eyes closed, she went through the movements of the warmups without hardly thinking about them. From the doorway, her instructor watched her and three other girls in this advanced class with an odd look in his eyes.

The class went by quickly, and Fae, as she slipped on a pair of white jeans, had that familiar, fleeting sense of loss as the sensation of dancing began ebbing from her body. But it was gone as soon as Cassie came bounding into the locker room, a perky look on her face.

"Hey, girl," Fae greeted her.

"Hiya!" Cassie chirped back. "The car's out front. Guess who got roped into doing the chaperoning to the carnival circus thingy?"

"Who?" Fae asked as she clasped her bra at her back then slipped on a form fitting, bright cherry red spaghetti strap top with gold, sparkling filigrees along the bottom and the neckline and up along the straps.

"Aw, c'mon, guess!" Cassie grinned. "It's no fun if you don't!"

"Okay, okay, um…Amy?" Fae slung her dance bag over her shoulder and slammed her locker. Cassie shook he head as Fae locked the locker. "Uh….Davis?"

"No!" Cassie rolled her eyes. "One of your uncles!"

"Oh…" Fae bit her lip, then her eyes widened in horror as they headed for the door. "Oh my god…" She gasped. "Not Duo, right? I love him to death, but him behind the wheel of a car is _asking_ for an early death."

"Luckily, no," Cassie laughed. Fae breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, then, who?"

"Take a look for yourself," Cassie pushed open the glass door and held it open for Fae, who stepped out into the early afternoon sunlight. Her eyes fell on the driver of the black corvette convertible, and her eyes bulged.

"Wufei?" Fae squeaked. She turned to Cassie and the two girls squealed as they joined hands and rushed to the car. Cassie opened the door and climbed into the back, while Fae jumped over the side and landed in the front passenger seat next to a scowling Wufei.

"You owe me, kid," Wufei scowled as the girls laughed, buckled in, and they drove away.

"Mmmm…level seven cutie, three o'clock," Cassie murmured discreetly, just loud enough so that Fae, by her side, could hear her. Fae glanced casually to the provided direction, and giggled as she tore a strand of bright pink cotton candy from the mound of fluff on a long paper cone.

"Nu-uh, he's an eight, at least." Fae said, using her tongue to lift the strand of cotton candy from her fingers and into her mouth. "Look at those stomach muscles! You can see them right through his shirt!"

"That's probably the idea," Cassie giggled, and Fae laughed out right, throwing her head back. She almost feel backwards off the low brick wall she and Cassie were sitting on. Only her excellent dancer's balance kept her atop the wall. There was a rustle in the bushes behind the wall, and Fae looked sharply over her shoulder, another wisp of cotton candy halfway to her open mouth.

"What is it?" Cassie asked, still scanning the masses of people passing them, playing games, getting off the nearby Ferris wheel, sifting through them with her eyes to find the cutest of them all.

"Nothing," Fae said, turning back to continue looking with Cassie. That was when she felt it, but by then, it was too late. A brick underneath her shifted, and the entire section of wall she'd been sitting on crumbled. She shrieked, knowing frantically that this was going to hurt…

But, surprisingly, the expected fall into thorny bushes and crushing pain of being battered by falling bricks never came. Instead, there sensation of arms around her, protectively… but the embrace was somehow different than those of her father and her uncles, although it was still very decidedly male. She could tell that even before she looked up into the face of the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen. Her breath caught, and had her personality been any less bold, she might have stayed there, staring, a blush on her cheeks, for the rest of the day.

But instead, she –reluctantly, although she did her best to hide it- pulled away and turned to fully face her catcher.

"Thanks," she said, looking him up and down briefly, as if trying to decide if his intentions had been honorable. He had a concerned look on his face as he nodded. He had the brightest golden hair. The shadowed bits of his slightly wavy/curly hair looked like dark molten gold, and his eyes…the shade of brown looked almost red, like rust mud that sparkled with flecks of gold.

"Hey, Fae, you all right, girl?" Cassie asked, hopping off the wall.

"Y-yeah…" Fae glanced at her, then back to the man to-

But he was gone. Fae shivered. She knew her mother believed in magic, but Fae had always been skeptical…

Fae shook herself.

What was she thinking? That magic was real? She frowned. Even if it was, she could get along just fine without it.

"C'mon," Fae said, forgetting her dropped and crushed cotton candy. "I want to go on the roller coaster again!"

Cassie, gathering from this statement that her friend truly was all right, laughed as Fae linked her arm through hers and dragged her towards the roller coaster.

Out of the shadows, two pairs of eyes, the owners of those eyes unaware of each other, watched the platinum blonde haired girl as she laughed and chatted with her friend, every bit the image of a beautiful, healthy, happy, wealthy, fashionable fourteen year old.

The man with the golden-red eyes smiled ever so slightly, almost a smirk, a happy glint in his eyes. Were someone to look at him, their vision would have blurred, and then they would have had the overwhelming sense to look away, that there was nothing of interest there. Were someone to overcome that sensation, one would have spied a sparkling golden figure taking to the sky….

Sitting in the tree with branches that stretched far over the dirt path and shadowed the crumbled brick wall below, the man with hidden within it's thick foliage pulled something small out of his pocket.

"I found her." He said softly, his voice completely, inhumanely emotionless. There was no reply. He clicked it off, and stuck it back in his pocket. He looked down, making sure no one was looking, and in the cover of the thick shadows, he leaped down. 

Sticking his hands in his pockets and acquiring a slanky swagger, he began to casually drift towards the roller coaster…

"Ooooooooh….I think I'm gonna be sick….." Cassie exaggerated her swaying and moaning as she lay the back of her hand across her forehead. Fae laughed and shoved at her playfully as she leaned over to retrieve her purse from inside the cubbyhole on the deck beside the currently parked roller coaster carts.

"C'mon; lets go get some corndogs," At that, Cassie seemed to genuinely turn slightly green around the lips. Fae laughed and hooked her arms through her best friends and pulled her down the stairs leading down from the boarding deck just as the next load of riders went whooshing up a hill admist screams of fearful delight.

"Hey, look at that," Cassie pointed to a large crowd gathered around a newly-erected sign plastered to a large piece of plyboard and standing upright on two two-by-fours stuck in the ground.

"Lets go check it out!" Fae grabbed Cassie's elbow and dashed towards it, shrieking Cassie in tow.

"Hey, what's this all about?" Fae tapped a man on the shoulder.

"Ad for the Preventers. Seems they're signing up recruits at an interview tomorrow at the mall." The man looked her up and down with a sneer. "Maybe you could go along as entertainment." He leered and walked away. Fae growled and lunged for him- 

Only to be restrained by a hand on her upper arm.

"Lemme go, Cassie!" Fae snarled without looking at her friend. "That punk needs to learn a lesson! Lemme go!" No reply, and the grip on her arm tightened…through her anger, Fae didn't register that the grip was much to strong to be that of a fourteen year old girl's. When her demand wasn't met, and the sneering man had disappeared from her sights, Fae whirled, mouth open to demand why her friend hadn't let her beat the cr-

"Oh, crap." Fae cursed when she came face to face to a tall, lean man with his dark brown hair slicked back. Black wrap around sunglasses were on his eyes –not all that unusual in this sunlight- but what was unusual was the black dress pants and black, long-sleeved turtleneck. Fae looked at the grip he had on her arm. She looked back up into his emotionless, slightly familiar face.

"Hey, dude, let go of me!" Fae tugged her arm, but the grip only tightened. Her elbow and hand started to tingle from lack of circulation.

"Okay, mister you've got the count of three before you find out the hard way why I graduated from karate three years early." Fae promised ferally. The man only turned and pulled her along with him, away from the crowd. Fae, eyes narrowed and flashing, dug her feet into the hard packed dirt and yanked with all her might…his grip didn't even budge, and she found her new sneakers tearing up dirt, leaving deep, gouging tracks. He hadn't even slowed his pace!

"All right, you asked for it," Fae snapped, withdrew her digging heels from the ground, coiled her leg muscles, sprang like a cat, and lashed out with her right foot, her aim perfect…

"What the-" Fae screeched as she suddenly found herself slung over the man's shoulder. Not only was this indecent, embarrassing, but it was not what she had intended to happen! "Let me go you pervert!" She screamed, kicking and smashing her fists into his back and the side of his head with all her might. She felt embarrassingly similar to a child throwing a tantrum, which was apparently many people thought she was, apparently, from the looks she was receiving; a delinquent child that had snuck out to attend the carnival, and her father or brother was dragging her back.

"Let me go now or I swear my father will have your head on a platter!" She yelled, eyes filled with fury. "Let me go!"

"You heard her."

The man whose shoulder she was slung over froze, and Fae took this opportunity to twist, pinch the sensitive skin under the man's arm, causing him to withdraw that arm. She planted her hands on his shoulder to give her leverage, and did a forward flip over his head and landed on the ground behind him. Not wasting time, she lashed out, her foot landing solidly in the small of his back and sending him careening forward. Before he could get a chance to tuck and roll, she hooked his ankle with hers, and yanked her leg back, sending him flying.

"Let's go!" Cried the same voice that had backed up her demand to be set loose. The owner of the voice grabbed her hand and set off in the other direction. Some moved to stop them, but they easy outmaneuvered them. Most, see that maybe the man hadn't been a righteous father or brother, cheered them on. Others were on their cell phones, most likely talking to police, or relaying the events to friends.

Fae knew it would be that easy, though, and she almost wished she had thought it would be; maybe she had jinxed it by knowing it wouldn't be that simple, for as they rounded the Ferris-Wheel, shots from a handheld long-range pistol rang out.

Fae, her hand still in her rescuer's, turned towards the Haunted House. She looked at him, and he nodded in understanding as Fae curbed her shock; it was the same guy that had caught her when that wall she'd been sitting on collapsed!

They shoved past people waiting in line, ignored the ticket-taker, and ducked into the gloomy, dark, be-curtained haunted house; the perfect hiding place. Another shot was heard, and they knew the man in black had seen where they'd gone.

"In here!" The blonde man still holding Fae's hand slammed into a door marked 'costumes and dummies.' The door, having obviously been locked, popped open, and they tumbled inside. Fae kicked it shut, causing no little racket. The blonde man looked at the shattered lock and cursed.

"Hey, no time for finesse," Fae told him. She looked around, and grinned, grabbing something out of a box, looking at it, then tossed it to the blonde man. "Here, quick, put it on," She said at the same time she fished out another costume for herself. They pulled the costumes over their clothes in record time as more shots were heard outside; the guy was shooting at anything that moved.

By the time the door was bashed open a second time, Fae, wearing a molted black wig and a torn, tattered ghost woman's dress, was slumped against the wall, arms out and fingers curled menacingly, eyes blank and dull, although her face was fixed in a hideous expression. The blonde man was slumped haphazardly against a box, a gun in his hand and a sly city-slicker look on his face. His eyes were blank as well.

The man -_still_ wearing those black sunglasses- looked around, barely glancing at the two extra dummies among several others, turned, and left.

They stayed in their positions for a long while after he'd left. But when they did, it took all Fae's nerve to keep from collapsing into tears.

"Are you all right?" The blonde man asked her. Fae took a deep breath, closed her eyes and counted to ten, then nodded.

"I think I'll be fine," She said, opening her eyes. "Once I get a nice cappachino in me, that is." Her attempt at a joke was left dead on her tongue when she looked around to find that, once more, her guardian was gone.

Fae sat in the costume room for a long while, even after she had discarded the wig and dress. Her fingers absently fiddled with one of the torn sleeves of her new, metallic over-jacket in her lap; she'd slipped it off to get the dress on, and was now only in short, hip hugging jean shorts and black ruby red strap tank top.

Her thoughts were in a muddled tangle, and she had long ago given up trying to sort them out; let them unravel themselves, she'd been forced to decide. But even over all her confused thinkings, one particular thought reigned over all.

Someone had tried to kill her.

That thought lead to, 'He'll try again.' Fae swallowed hard, and shut her eyes tight, trying to think of what her uncles, her mother, her father would do if they were in her position.

__

"Uncle Heero would have stood his ground, glared his warning, then shot the guy when he refused to leave him alone…" Fae blinked as her eyes began to sting. _"Duo-chan would have made some witty joke and a spectacle. Would have made the guy chase him around in circles and put on a show that would have made the audience laugh."_ Thinking of this made Fae grin. _"Wufei would have challenged him to a duel or something while turning beet red in indignation…"_ She giggled as the image came to mind_. "Trowa would have just looked at him, turned, and walked away, fighting the minimum amount needed to free himself. Quatre would have tried diplomacy…and probably would have succeeded…"_ Fae smiled slightly._ "Mama would have got that flash in her eyes…"_ Fae closed her eyes and pictured that same flashing, the way she would have so gracefully beaten him with only a few strokes, punches, kicks, and then walked away with a single remark that should be in history books.

Fae found that there was a single tear running down her face, and with a scowl, she rubbed it away angrily. She was raised by the strongest, bravest, best fighters on the planet, and what had she done? Kicked and screamed and waved her fists like a child!

This brought her mind back again to the fact that someone had tried to kill her that day…but why? She somehow knew he'd try again. She was positive. She had to get home, where she'd be safe…

Safe…

She'd always been safe. Maybe that was why she'd been bested so easily today. Sure, she knew the book rules and the moves, but she had no experience. None. At least not with someone that genuinely wanted to hurt her…

Maybe she should run away, give herself some experience… Fae remembered the ad for Preventer recruits on the mini-billboard she'd been looking at when the man in black had grabbed her. But that idea died before it had hardly formed; Fae had too many brains to seriously doing something like that for childish reasons.

Someone had tried to kill her…

Fae couldn't suppress a shudder as again that thought premiered over all others. But this particular time, it lead to a thought she had not had before; not only would he try again, but if he had been willing to do it in broad daylight with so many people around, he would kill her anywhere he found her. And he hadn't seemed reluctantly to do some damage to the blonde guy that had helped her, either. Fae's eyes widened in shock as she realized she wasn't safe anywhere, and neither was anyone near her.

She had to leave… She knew that most likely her Uncles and parents and cousin could protect her easily, but something told her this man would never give up…they'd have to disappear, forever running and fighting and hiding her. She couldn't live like that, at least, not when knowing she was taking away the lives of those she loved most.

She just couldn't…

So going to her family was out, so was Cassie and her other friends…

So where would she go?

Again, Fae remembered the add for Preventer recruits…

For the first time, Fae realized how late it must be. Her face set, Fae picked herself up, and peeked outside. Dark. Not a single sound…they must have shut down the ride hours ago, but she hadn't noticed the lack of sounds affects or creaking of the floorboard above her. 

She stepped outside, and felt her way in the darkness to the exit. The door was locked. She pulled her pocket knife, a birthday present for her thirteenth birthday from Trowa, it was silvry-gold and had a porcelain image of a beautiful fairy sitting on the back of a small golden dragon and flying amongst sunset-kissed clouds.

Fae flipped open the main knife, and slipped it between the door and doorframe. It took but a quick few twists and yanks, and the door popped open. She flipped shut the knife, pocketed it once more, and slipped out into the chilly air.

She headed for the mini-billboard, keeping to the shadows once she realized it must be near midnight –judging from the high moon- and the park was closed. She remained wary of security guards as she approached the sign. She found a spot close enough to it that she could read it, but still hidden. She was also very aware that her hunter might still be near… 

She quickly scanned the mini-billboard. It stated that recruits were needed to 'protect the peace and prevent war.' It gave a website from which you could download and print out more info, the time, date, and place of the interviews, and an application form. It didn't mention an age limit. Fae didn't doubt that she was probably too young, but she also didn't doubt her ability to look and act old enough.

A twig snapped behind her, and Fae whirled to see a cat standing directly behind her. At least, she was pretty sure it had been a cat; all she had seen was cat-like, slited gold-red eyes before the small creature had turned and ran back into the shadowy bush.

Fae looked back to the bilboard, gnawing on her bottom lip gently. She winced when she accidentally bit it too hard. She sighed softly. No reason she had to make the descion now. Fishing a small, three inch long pocket pen out of her jean's, she quickly scribbled down the web address on the inside of her arm. Capping the pen and sticking it back in her pocket, she threw one last look to the bilboard before slipping further into the shadows and heading for the carnival exit, hoping her parent's hadn't gotten to sending out a search party yet; she was grounded enough as it was.

Not that it would matter by tomorrow…

****

To Be Continued…

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! OMG I CANNOT believe it took me this long to update! Argggggggggg……*sigh* my only explaination minna-chans is that I had a MAJOR case of writer's block… Gomen! Besides that, I really don't have much to say, other than I am considering dropping this fic… Kitten was a success, Angel was fun, but I think this might be taking the story too far…*sigh* Oh, well. *hugglez all* Review and tell me if you think this is worth finishing!

Ja!

__

Smile More, Dream Always,

Alexia Goddess

P.S. My family and I are going to Maui for three weeks starting September 17th, so don't expect any updates till three weeks after that, at least. Ja! -Alexia


	4. Chapter Three

**_Kitten's Sunrise_**

by _Alexia Goddess_

**Chapter Three**

Fae wasted no time, once she got home. After dealing with her mother, Kitten, whom Fae feared knew more than she let on -though why she thought this, she didn't know- Fae retreated up one of the back staircases of the Sanq Palace to the wing that was closed off to everyone but Fae, Kitten, Axis, Angel, the Gundam Pilots, and anyone who was invited. She slipped her key into the door that opened into the main corridor of the wing, and quietly ducked inside. She slinked to her room, slipped silently inside, locked the door, and quickly copied the web address she'd written on the inside of her arm to a piece of paper.

She looked at her computer, ready and waiting. She knew there was no avoiding it; she needed to leave as soon as possible. But she was so tired...

She kicked herself, mentally, firming her resolve; best to start working on the kinks in her self discipline now.

It took her only a matter of moments to download the application file and print it out.  While it printed, Fae dug out from underneath her bed –which was a world all its own- a large duffle bag.  She set to packing, and since she had done it countless times before on trips of all sorts, she almost automatically packed her best and favorite clothes without even thinking about it. When she looked at what she had packed, she frowned. She doubted a black mini skirt and red tank top would lend herself as a very good soldier.

I mean, a girl trying to weasel her way into a tough place hiking up her skirt and winking flirtatiously always worked in the movies, but only for voluptuous, full-chested beauties, not slight fourteen year old whose best talent was ballet.

Fae slumped down to the floor, leaning against one of the bed posts. Who was she kidding? She could never get into the Preventers…she was short and small. The shortness she got from her mother. She had no idea where she got her smallness; her mother was _very_ curvy. Grandparents had always been a possibility, but Uncle Zion had always said how much her mom and dad resembled their parents, so that was probably out. 

Fae sighed. And what about her name? A short, slight blonde fourteen year old ballerina madonna named Faerie. She could see those buff Preventer interviewers laughing already.

Fae let her head lean back and rest against the hard polished wood of the bed post. But she had to do something…she had to get out of here… That man…he would come back. Fae knew it. She knew it to a degree that scared her.

She shook herself. Either way, she had to get out. The Preventer's headquarters was as good as any place to head for. Fae, whom had never taken an interest in battle or military, would never be looked for there. The New York Dance company, maybe, or the Fliers (a group of elite space pilots who performed breathtaking displays), but not the Preventers.

Anyway, at least it gave her a destination. Uncle Trowa had always told her to never set foot out the door unless you had a destination in mind.

The application was finished printing. All twenty pages of it. Looking it over, Fae winced. They asked some pretty detailed questions…good Lord, they even inquired after the state of her virginity! Her face flushed red. She'd skip that question.

Flipping through the four pages of basic info at the back of the application form, she discovered that the nearest registration headquarters was over four hours away. The farthest one from her was in Japan. She bit her lip. Japan or this place called Kaloa? She had the funds to go to Japan, no problem. Having your own personal back account that got fed by getting a $20+ allowance from your parents, a former queen, your uncle, and four of the most famous and wealthy people of the planet, and money wasn't a problem.

So Japan it was. 

Fae grabbed a backpack and dumped into it the form, a few books, a few school books, pens, pencils, paper, ect. Into her purse she deposited her wallet, keys –not that she'd need them- cell phone, and make-up kit- hey, she was still a girl. After she had packed up her laptop as well, she paused. If she used her cell phone or logged onto the internet with her laptop, she knew Uncle Heero would have no problem tracing her. And if she knew her father, he'd probably had tracking devices installed in several of her personal belongings.

Fae bit her lip.

Making a decision, and cursing her lost time, she unpacked everything and put it all away. At last she decided to take a pillowcase and drop into it some clothes, feminine essentials, a few books, her photo album, and a few other knickknacks. Wallet went into the pack pocket of the black jeans she changed into. She slipped into a functional –but stylish- body hugging red tank top, tailored black leather jacket, boots, hair clipped back.

Into her boots she stuck two daggers she had received for Christmas last year. Around her wrists she wrapped the bands that held the Chinese throwing stars Wufei had given her for her birthday; the sleeves of the jacket were big enough to allow her to slip her hand up one to grab a throwing star without much hindrance.

She stuck the silver pistol into the back of her pants, hoping the jacket would hide the bulge decently. Fae hesitated, then grabbed the small back velvet box containing the expensive gold and ruby jewelry set and slipped it into her pocket. Could come in handy, though the thought of having to barter them away made her wince.

At last she deemed herself ready. It was well past midnight, and she knew dawn was only a few hours away. The bank would be opening soon. Even though she knew time was running out –her would-be murderer could arrive at any moment- she couldn't resist the temptation to take a few moments and run a loving hand over everything in her room. Her bed, her nightstand, the lamp shaped like a golden dragon with a laughing fairy on its back, her moonlit fairy wallpaper, her dragon and fairy and unicorn and wood nymph posters and pictures…

The hand crafted, gold plated mirror and brush on her dresser, the barr that ran along one wall of her room, the one her father had installed for her when she was young and her interest in ballet had begun to show.

The sword hanging on the wall, that beautiful, intricate, breathtakingly gorgeous golden hilt… Fae bit her lip. She wanted to take it with her….but wouldn't it draw attention? Maybe that was a good thing… No one would expect her to try and draw attention… and she really hadn't though up an alias or a cover-up story for a fourteen year old flying to Japan on her own…

Grinning as an idea came to her, Fae unhaltered the sword from the wall, sheathed it in the sheath that was bracketed underneath it. But before strapping it in place, she took a piece of cloth from one of her drawers, a large red handkerchief, and wrapped it around the hilt, then strapped the hilt in place, thus keeping the cloth in place and hiding the give-away design of the hilt. Using the leather cords, Fae strapped the sheath to her back, diagonally, so all she had to do was reach up and draw it.

Fae grinned. She felt like a modern-day Xena; Warrior Princess, escaping a foe to go to a place where she could fight her enemy without having to worry about her loved ones getting hurt…

Fae saddened. She didn't want to leave them…and she couldn't even leave a note…she could leave anything behind that could give her attacker a reason to hurt her family. Of course, the mere fact that they were her family at may be enough of a reason. She didn't know why this guy was after her in the first place.

Fae sighed and looked at her watch. It was time to go. She hefted the knotted pillowcase and went to the window, shoved it open and kicked the screen out. Lifting the pillowcase and slinging it over her shoulder, she glanced around her room once more. Her eyes fell on the beautiful porcelain statue of a fairy queen on her dresser. She had her hands cupped as she smiled down at something she held; the fairy necklace Uncle Quatre had given her along with the statue.

Fae bit her lip. She sighed, and with not all that much hesitation, even though she knew this simple act could very well give her away –what if there was a tracking device in it?- Fae strode to the fairy statue and lifted the necklace out from the fairy's cupped hands. She clasped it around her neck, patted it with a small smile, then turned on her heel and went to the window once more.

With a final glance around her room and a small, sad smile, Fae grabbed her pillowcase and dumped it out the window, following it down with a deft twist of her body. She landed smoothly, bending her knees and crouching to absorb the impact. Still, she winced as the landing jarred her entire body; she'd never jumped down from a third story before without a mat.

Shaking herself, she grabbed the pillowcase and slung it over her shoulder. She looked up her window and grinned wistfully as she let her gaze slid from her own window to the one three windows down; her parents room. The lights were out.

"Bye, mom…" Fae said softly. "Please don't worry about me, I'll be fine…I promise…"

Without even another look over her shoulder, Fae turned and left the Sanq Kingdom grounds, heading for the bus stop.

She never saw the golden eyes that watched her with mixed pride, pity, and amusement from the shadowed eves of the building above her window.

It hadn't taken Faerie long to figure out a course of action and her cover story. She was Crystal Smith- she grinned with the irony of taking her mother's maiden name- student from England –she did quite a good accent- on her way to a trournament in Japan; thus the sword.

Customs had been easy enough once Fae had found a nearby library and used the, er, 'skill's Uncle Duo had taught her –without the awareness of any of her other relatives, that is- to print out fake passport papers to get a passport. 

She got some cash out of her bank account and bought herself a suitcase and a backpack. Then she completely emptied her account and put the cash, in neat bundles, in a hidden compartment in the bottom of the backpack. She then bought herself another laptop and cell phone, as well as a fake I.D.

The hardest obstacle so far was getting her sword cleared past security. She eventually was forced to relinquish it, but only with several –on paper- promises that any harm to it would be paid for, double over. With all the hub-bub over the in-plain-sight sword, no one noticed when she skipped around, rather than through, the metal detector gates, thus avoiding going through the whole thing over again with the Chinese throwing stars under her sleeves and the daggers in her boots and the gun in her pants.

When at last Fae was seated aboard a non-stop flight to Tokyo, Japan, exhaustion overcame her; she hadn't slept in a day in a half. She knew some soldiers went days without sleep, but, hey, she wasn't a soldier yet, she was only going there to learn to be one. And even then, she was only going because it seemed like a good place to hide and learn to defend herself should her attacker ever come after her again- which, she knew to the depths of her being, he would. It was only a matter of time…

With this final disturbing thought, Fae drifted off to an uneasy sleep.

It was several hours later that Fae awoke to the sounds of an announcement being made in Japanese; she must have missed the English one. Mentally thanking Uncle Heero for speaking much Japanese in front of her –thus forcing her to learn the language else have no idea what he was saying, a concept she had never liked- Fae realized that they were about to land.

Once they landed and the passengers were allowed to make their way off the plane, Fae decided to just sit and wait while everyone else got off, rather than have to deal with the push-and-shove crowd.

When the mess of people had dissipated, Fae stood, grabbed her backpack loaded with cash, slung it over her shoulder, and headed on off the plane. She winced as she realized that maybe she should have gone with the crowd; that way she could have easily snuck past the security guards by the door-way-shaped metal detector. Now there was no one else, and they had already spotted her. 

Wincing as she was all to aware of her weapon-covered self, Fae took a deep breath and strode on forward…maybe she could make a run for it…

She waltzed right through the metal detector, grinning flirtatiously with the guards. When the alarm went off with a vengeance, the guards were surprised enough –Fae guessed it didn't go off often- that the girl had a good five second head start as she sprinted for the door. She'd come back for her baggage later, or buy new stuff…

She would have gotten away just fine, until she ran smack into a hard, solid something. She bounced back somewhat, and blinked with surprise up into a face…

A face that made her go cold all over…

Her 'attacker' gripped her arm as panic flooded Fae's body. How had he found her???? She struggled, kicking and biting and punching. She was making a scene, but she didn't care, in fact she was hoping it would help the same way it had last time… But when no one moved to help, she realized they'd seen her sprint from the security guards.

"Crap," she muttered to herself as the guards approached.

"I'll take care of her," the man, in black just as before, told the guards. He flashed a badge –fake, Fae guessed- before pulling her towards the door.

With a flash of insight, Fae saw an opening. She kicked, and he doubled over as he fought to breathe.

Fae ran, only one question circulating through her mind…

_"How did he find me????"_

**_To Be Continued…._**

*sighs and rubs brow wearily* Short and rather bland, I know, and I apologize. Life has been beating me about the head and shoulders from all sides. Please be patient, my readers.

Until next time, ja!

_Smile More, Dream Always,_

_Alexia Goddess_


End file.
